His song tops iTunes for 3 days

The past year saw a handful of local acts scale new heights with their music.

We are talking about Singaporean musicians - such as rapper Shigga Shay and Mandopop singer Derrick Hoh - who grabbed top spot on local iTunes charts with their songs or albums.

The most recent artist to achieve this feat is singer-songwriter Gentle Bones.

The 19-year-old full-time national serviceman, whose real name is Joel Tan, scored a No. 1 with his debut single Until We Die.

According to Tan, the song, which was released last month, stayed at the top of the chart for three days. It was ahead of Disney tune Let It Go, off the Frozen movie soundtrack.

Tan, who expects to release his next single and debut album later this year, said it was "very encouraging" for him.

iTunes chart positions are based on sales through the iTunes store. Acts who have made it to the top have used different strategies - quirky marketing and social media hype - to get their music noticed.

On why his single did well, Tan said: "It has a lot to do with everything. But if I had to pinpoint a factor, I'd say it's because Until We Die is immediately relatable to the audience. It speaks of being free and (of) something everybody can connect to."

He said it will take a few months before he receives the sales figures for his track from Apple.

No pressure

His musical style calls to mind comparisons to English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, most notable for hits Lego House and The A Team, and more recently for I See Fire, off The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug movie soundtrack.